


On the Nature of Daylight

by Mirenelle



Category: Naruto
Genre: Blood and Gore, Boys In Love, Death, F/M, Friendship, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Interrogation, M/M, No Uchiha Massacre, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Hatake Kakashi, Protective Uchiha Sasuke, Rape Recovery, Recovery, Torture, Tragedy, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:28:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28479933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirenelle/pseuds/Mirenelle
Summary: For a moment, Shisui thought he would follow Itachi into the water. There was a moment in time with the two of them practically suspended in the air as if time and gravity ceased to be. Itachi's eyes were fixed on him, hand extended and fingers reaching for him in earnest desperation.They had thought it was over. With Danzo arrested they could finally have peace. It would always be Shisui and Itachi together. Nothing could change that. When a routine mission goes terribly wrong, they learn how incorrect they had been.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	On the Nature of Daylight

**Author's Note:**

> Read archive warnings before proceeding. Title is from the Max Ritchter song. Title of the chapter is also a song by Max Richter. I definitely suggest giving them a listen. The following chapters will follow the same theme.
> 
> On the Nature of Daylight- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVN1B-tUpgs
> 
> November- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bb0k9HgQxc

If Itachi could pinpoint three crucial moments in his rather short life, meeting Shisui was most certainly one of them. Of course, there was becoming a big brother as well; Yet, Itachi could not deny that Shisui had changed his life in so many ways. Had made it better in so many more. Where Shisui was, Itachi was never far behind.It had been clear that night. Even under the treeline, Itachi could remember seeing stars peeking in through the foliage. If he had been back home he might have snuck to the roof, or to Hokage Mountain so he could look at them undeterred.

However, he was instead deep in the forest on his way to Kirigakure with a detachment of ANBU operatives as well as Shisui, who had taken a spot on the mission last minute after Hinoe had to back out due to an injury from a previous mission. It was an easy enough swap, Shisui more than happy to step in.

Itachi lead the squad, he had been captain for over a year now but it felt odd to be on a mission with Kakashi Hatake and not immediately defer to him. Kakashi seemed nonplussed by it. He was after all finishing his tenure with ANBU at the Hokage’s recommendation. He would be instead acting as a sensei to academy graduates when the time came. Hiruzen had requested Itachi remain with ANBU for a final year before allowing him to withdraw. When Itachi had first joined ANBU, the idea of leaving them seemed so foreign, but now it was a relief.

ANBU took so much from a person. It would be nice to get out before it had a chance to take it all. He was still the youngest within the ANBU, Hiruzen had made revisions to joining the ANBU that included a minimum age of 18 instead of 13. Itachi had been grandfathered in. It seemed that Hiruzen wanted to avoid what had very nearly happened by allowing an 11 year old Itachi to join. Itachi appreciated the sentiment.

Having Shisui present was even more exciting than Itachi had anticipated. They rarely had the opportunity to be around each other during missions, having rotating shifts and so many other obligations. The mission would be taking them onto the coast of Kirigakure, where there was a large shipment of weapons that the Hokage wanted destroyed. From what Itachi had read in the report, it was believed to be either some type of nerve agent or a mass paralysis agent. Something like that should never be allowed in enemy hands. They were to observe, find out what exactly they were dealing with and destroy the shipment if they could.

Itachi had requested that Kakashi scout ahead. The Sharingan gave him an advantage in the field. He would reach out to the rest of the squad to let them know when it was safe to proceed forward. In the meantime, the squad was to reach the border. Itachi had already sent out a message to the Hokage, alerting him of their progress. If luck was on their side they would cross over the border unnoticed. There were many scouting parties in Kirigakure, Kakashi had sent word that there were two areas that were left unattended due to low manning in the sector. An old bridge that used to be used as a transport station and a former quarry that led into the border.

Kakashi had recommended using one of those areas to sneak in. Itachi had at first suggested splitting up and having them go through both, but the Copy nin had pointed out that if one group was caught, the other might be in danger of being run down when reinforcements arrived. The bridge was the safest bet. Too dangerous to be utilized regularly and unlike the quarry there were no patrols that passed near. He would move ahead and scout the area, allowing the rest of the squad time to reach him.

They all set up for the evening, makeshift tents that would allow them safety from the elements. It was a clear night for now, but Itachi didn’t doubt that the weather would hold for long. Towa offered to take first guard shift, allowing the rest of the squad to rest. Itachi and Shisui had opted to share a tent, rather than drag out another. It was a small flimsy thing, but it did well to keep them dry. Shisui and Minoichi had gone out to collect wood while Itachi had helped Jizo and Ikaru put defenses along the border of the camp. Itachi’s extra supplies were placed next to his knapsack, along with his freshly sharpened sword. 

When Shisui finally made his way into the tent, Itachi was already curled under the sleeping bag and watching him with keen eyes. “Hey.” Shisui greeted, flopping down beside Itachi. “Hope I’m not too much of a distraction.” He teased, waggling his dark eyebrows and forcing a little smile out of Itachi.

"You know I love missions with you." Itachi hummed in response, reaching out for Shisui's hand to draw him down onto the sleeping bag. “You’re not a bad distraction.” Shisui crawled after him, leaning down to press gentle kisses against his face. They remained as quiet as they could in their tent. The other operatives were likely getting ready to sleep, although Itachi could barely hear them.

“You think tomorrow will go alright?” Shisui asked Itachi. “You seemed a bit uneasy earlier.” Shisui had always managed to see through Itachi. He always knew when Itachi was feeling anxious. He was settling down beside him, voice soft.

“There’s just a lot that can go wrong.” Itachi admitted in a hushed tone, running a weary hand down his face. “I know I’m overthinking things again, but I can’t help it.” Shisui offered him a smile at this. It seemed he was having the same memory as Itachi.

_‘What’s with that look of yours? Even like this, I can still see your face easily, you know. A worried expression just doesn’t look good on you…’_

“Being worried about a mission isn’t a bad thing,” Shisui was quick to assure him, glancing out the flap of the tent as he spoke. “Once we reach the shipment, we can figure out our next move. One step at a time, right?” He looked back to Itachi, his visible eye unwavering as it watched him. He always was so confident, so assured about everything. Itachi wished he could feel more like that.

“Right.” Itachi agreed, staring up at the ceiling of the tent, absently picking at a loose string from the sleeping bag. Shisui clicked his tongue, hand moving to cover Itachi’s. He lifted it and brought it to his lips, his eye sparkling in the dim light. Itachi offered him a smile that was easily returned and the older Uchiha scooted up to press a kiss against his lips.

"I love you, you know." He whispered against Itachi's lips. "More than anything."Shisui stroked his hand down Itachi's cheek and Itachi practically melted under his touch.His whole world felt as if it revolved around Shisui. At times like these, Itachi could think of little else but this wonderful, kind shinobi who had been at his side through so much. Who had faced Fugaku and refused to back down.

He wanted to say it back, wanted to yell it, despite knowing how foolish it would be. He lightly touched Shisui’s jaw, fingers grazing over his lips. "When we get home do you want to go out for bubble tea?" He said instead and watched the amused expression that passed over Shisui’s face.

"Bubble tea?" Shisui teased and Itachi nodded patiently, dark eyes fixed on Shisui. 

"Yes. I went with Shinko a couple weeks ago and we tried it. It was very good." Itachi replied and Shisui sniggered despite himself, leaning forward to press his forehead against Itachi’s. 

“Course I’ll go get bubble tea with you.” He promised. He moved his hand to slide up Itachi’s shirt, grinning as Itachi’s breath caught in his throat. He didn’t go any further, simply keeping his palm pressed against Itachi’s stomach, hand spanning out and stroking over his soft skin. "I'm dragging you to Anko's for one of her parties." Shisui declared suddenly and Itachi blinked.

"Shisui, I'm fourteen." 

"And? You don't get out enough. Anko thinks you’re the cutest. She wants to hang out more.” Shisui teased, lowering his head to where his hand was on Itachi’s stomach, lifting the shirt enough to press a kiss against his navel. “I promise it will be a short visit. One drink and we're done." He murmured, lips moving down to just over the edge of his pants, not going any further.

Itachi laughed a little breathlessly, he pulled Shisui back up, fingers curled under his jaw so he could look him in the eye. "Fine. One drink and we're not telling Father. " He replied solemnly and Shisui shot him a dubious look.

"Do I _look_ like I have a death wish? Of course we're not mentioning it to Fugaku." Shisui flicked Itachi’s nose and pulled away to get out of his armor. He tossed the arm guards down beside his sleeping back and the forehead protector at the foot. He glanced out the flap of the tent to see the others settling in; one of them was already standing guard. 

Itachi turned over, reaching out for Shisui. "C'mere." He murmured and Shisui chuckled in response, scooting closer to Itachi so that their legs touched. Outside, they could hear the buzzing cicadas. It was moments like these, out in the woods and in the quiet with Itachi that Shisui felt his most at peace. He rested his head on his hand, laying on his side so he could watch Itachi who settled down, his hair out of its’ normal ponytail and laying loosely around him. He looked softer like this. Younger somehow. 

“I’m taking the next watch. I think you should get some sleep.” He advised and Itachi offered him a small smile in response.

“I will, just stay with me for a bit?” How could Shisui ever say no to that?

Shisui kissed Itachi's shoulder and wrapped his arm around the younger Uchiha, pulling him close. Itachi curled against him, pressing his lips against Shisui's neck. It was nice when they had moments like this, both were still having to sneak around back at Konoha, avoiding the chance that Fugaku would catch wind. He likely had his suspicions, but it was unlikely that he knew for sure. He still expected Itachi to marry Izumi. Still expected him to eventually step into Fugaku’s role when the time came.

He didn't know that Hiruzen had already reached out to Itachi, and had already quietly voiced his intentions to have Itachi become Hokage. Itachi hadn’t mentioned it. Had not dared to breathe a word. The coup that nearly occurred was still fresh in his memory. It was only Hiruzen actually digging into Danzo’s plans for things to change.

He had attacked Shisui and took his eye, not trusting or wanting Shisui to attempt to reach Fugaku. Shisui had resigned himself to die. Had thought that allowing Itachi to gain the Mangekyo would help protect him. Itachi had refused to accept it. Had all but tackled Shisui to the ground, the rush of the ravine below far too close for comfort.

* * *

_"You're not doing this! You're not leaving me alone in this!"_

Itachi had gone straight to Hiruzen. Had refused to let Shisui out of his sight. When Hiruzen had seen what had been done to Shisui, it had killed off any denial he could think of. It had been jarring to see the old man fold into himself, suddenly far more ancient than he had been before that moment. Danzo had been arrested, but not before destroying Shisui's eye. A final way to spit in the Uchiha’s face. Root was disbanded and Hiruzen had reached out to Fugaku in an attempt to broker peace before it was too late. The next year had been a time of slow healing.

The Uchiha were slowly brought back into the village, slowly regaining lost standing. In return the clan began offering much needed support to the Hokage, still reeling over the attack on Shisui. Shisui had gone through a dark period. For several months he had been closed off to all, especially Itachi who had intervened and set everything into motion. Itachi didn’t regret it. He could only imagine the alternative. Itachi returning home without Shisui. The clan would likely have suspected him. He would have been isolated and hurting and Danzo would have wasted no time in pouncing on that weakness. There was no chance of peace. No power was worth losing Shisui.

There had been weeks where Shisui refused to look or speak to Itachi. The eyepatch he wore was a stark reminder of what had been done to him. What he had nearly done. At clan meetings he ignored Itachi. When he came to the house it was to speak to Fugaku. Even Sasuke had noticed how Shisui was treating his brother and had been baffled to see it. How he wouldn’t even look at Itachi when he was at the house. How he would even greet _Sasuke_ , but refuse to even acknowledge Itachi. Itachi had never felt so alone.

Things had also been tense with Fugaku when he found out about the spying, but his father had been unable to hold onto his anger. Had been unable to allow Itachi to continue to suffer due to his pride. They managed to slowly mend that bridge, the clan slowly following. They wanted to heal and move on and it had been Itachi who had refused to let them drown.

  
  


It had taken time, but Shisui had eventually reached out to Itachi. He had shown up outside Itachi's window, late at night. His face was shadowed in the dark, his remaining eye shining as he looked at Itachi who watched him in tense confusion. _"Shisui?"_ He whispered, moving closer to the window, arms crossed protectively over his chest. _"Why are you here?"_ He was tense and uncomfortable, having resigned himself to having lost Shisui in life rather than in death.

Shisui shuffled, suddenly looking uncertain. He looked down at his feet for a long moment. _"I came to apologize."_ His gaze lifted to look into Itachi’s eyes. _"I put you into an unfair situation and expected you to blindly follow. I'm alive because of you. The clan and village are healing because of you. You refused to let me go even though I told you to. Even though it might have made things eas-"_

_"Easier?"_ Itachi cut him off, practically spitting his disgust. _"How would allowing you to needlessly die be easier?"_ His cheeks flared in fury and Shisui winced, scratching his cheek with a distracted expression on his face. He looked both ancient and far too young at that moment, the shadow under his eye was prominent.

_"I know."_ He whispered, voice nearly lost in the rustling trees. _"I'm sorry. It's just...what good am I now? Danzo took my eye, just snatched it away like it was his to take. I felt pathetic. Weak. Like I no longer belonged. It was unworthy of me to take it out on you. Not after everything you did to keep me safe."_ He reached to grip at the edge of the window, knuckles turning white. _"I felt like there was no reason for me to stay when I couldn't offer anything."_

Itachi looked down, studying his bare feet for a long moment. _"There is no me without you."_ He began, still looking at his feet. He could feel Shisui's gaze locked on him. _"You are...so important to me and the thought of losing you when I could stop it was unacceptable. You don’t give yourself enough credit. It's not your eyes that define your worth. It's you. You are what makes you great. Not your eyes. Not your abilities. You."_

* * *

  
  


“I can take watch with you,” Itachi offered, pulling Shisui from his reverie. “Keep you company.” 

“ _Hmm_ , watching the stars over the firelight.” Shisui’s voice was soft and tender, stroking Itachi’s arm as he spoke. “But I think you need your sleep. We have plenty of time to watch the stars later.” He pressed his lips against Itachi’s temple and the younger Uchiha made a small amused sound.

“That’s fair.” Itachi lifted his hand and gently stroked his hand up Shisui’s face, ever so lightly touching the eyepatch. The pair of them stared up the ceiling of the tent for a long moment, Shisui slowly reaching for Itachi’s hand and giving it a small squeeze, stroking his thumb over his pulsepoint. For a while, things had been going so wrong.

It felt like everything was coming to an end. This was their chance at a better future. A new beginning. Shisui knew Itachi would eventually be Hokage. The only person who knew outside of Hiruzen and Itachi. It was fitting that Itachi would take Hiruzen’s place. There was no one Shisui found worthier. He kissed Itachi’s wrist and the younger boy offered him a sleepy smile, his eyelashes curling over his cheeks as he attempted to stay awake.

  
  


The cicadas continued chirping and the fire crackled on. It was almost perfect.

* * *

  
  


Morning came far too soon in all of their opinion, but they comforted themselves with the fact that once the mission was done, they would be granted vacation time. Much needed as far as Ikaru was concerned. They finished packing up camp and getting rid of any evidence of them being there. Kakashi had sent word half an hour ago that the bridge was an hour away from their current position. There was no movement on the other side and no sign of any shipments in the area. They all made quick work of getting to the border of the Land of Fire, already on edge with entering such a volatile area. For a while they made small talk.

In the months since Hiruzen had dismantled Root he had encouraged more humanity within ANBU. They still held their air of mystery and formality, but they were now closely vetted to ensure the ranks weren’t compromised. There had been so many Danzo loyalists within the ranks that it had become imperative that they were all flushed out. With Danzo imprisoned, his reach had finally stilled. Now, the remaining ANBU were attempting to bridge the gap left behind. 

They stopped at one point, to put their masks on, now entering enemy territory. Overhead, it looked like it was going to eventually storm. The clouds were darkened, churning gray and Itachi could hear thunder in the distance. “Hound-sama should be in position by now.” He turned to glance at the operatives. “If we’re lucky it will be a smooth operation. He says that there is no interference so far.”

Towa squinted out into the distance. “Wish it wasn’t so shitty out there.” He stated, his thick eyebrows furrowing. “It just makes these sort of missions more difficult. Towa had always been a realist about these sort of missions. He, like Kakashi, seemed to weigh any possible outcome. 

“Hinoe sure lucked out.” Minoichi muttered, glancing up at the gathering storm. “It looks like shit up there.” There had been a period of time, for a long time where he had considered defecting the village and leaving it all behind. He had thought of running to a new village all together. The changes within ANBU and the village had given him a change of heart.

“Which is why we keep moving.” Itachi replied crisply, adjusting his arm guards as he walked. “Hopefully we will miss the rain.” He adjusted his knapsack over his shoulder. Usually they carried light but this mission would likely take some time.

“Nah, I think it’ll clear up.” Shisui said from Itachi’s side, steps confident as he shot Itachi a fond grin. “Bet it’ll be sunny by the time we reach Hatake.”

“You think?” Itachi looked up at the sky and Shisui moved closer to lightly nudge him with his shoulder.

“Course. I’ll take a bet on it.” He reached up as they passed under a low hanging branch and ran his fingers over the leaves. Ikaru laughed from behind them, kicking a pebble ahead of him.

“Didn’t take you for a betting man, Uchiha.” He chuckled, hands stuffed in pockets. His head tilted to where Komachi was walking, speaking to Minoichi and laughing at something she said. “Wanna take a bet on how long it will take them to shack up?” He teased and Shisui laughed out loud. Itachi knew that Komachi and Minoichi were attracted to each other. One of those unspoken things. There had been assumptions that she had feelings for Towa, but it was much closer to a sibling relationship. They were too alike, Towa had said once. It would be like dating a doppelganger. 

“I’m not even going to touch that.” Shisui replied with a laugh. He lightly nudged Itachi again. “What about you? You wanna take a bet on the weather?” He teased, the wind whipping around his hair. 

“Very well. If it rains when we reach Kakashi-taichou, we’re going out for dango when we get back.”

“ ** _You_** and your dango.” Komachi laughed, turning to look at the Uchiha. “It’s a wonder you aren’t shaped like one.” She waggled a teasing finger while Minoichi sniggered at her side.

“It’s that Uchiha metabolism.” Shisui replied with pompous pride. He glanced at Itachi from the corner of his eye, hands stuffed into his pockets. “And if it’s sunny?” He whispered as the others moved ahead. “What do I get if I win?” His mouth was close to Itachi’s ear and Itachi’s face heated up at the contact. Shisui pulled back, eye closed as he grinned and hands lifted in surrender.

“What would you want?” Itachi asked curiously, he went to adjust his sword as the hilt dug into his shoulder and Shisui strode over to help him, adjusting it to a more comfortable position. 

“I think you can figure it out.” Shisui replied in that mysterious tone he used when he wanted to tease Itachi. Itachi was about to open his mouth to respond when Shisui placed something in his hand. Itachi glanced down, still walking as he looked at the little acorn in his palm. It was a sweet little thing. A little trinket that had Itachi smiling as Shisui walked ahead.

“Fine.” He murmured. “We’ll discuss it when we finish here.”

“You just wanna finish up so you can drag me off to that dango shop.” Shisui teased, turning to walk backwards. His eyes fixed on Itachi. “You’re not fooling me.” Itachi knew he was grinning behind his mask.

“I would never do such a thing.” Itachi replied simply, pocketing the acorn. “We would be going there, regardless.”He heard one of the ANBU operatives chuckle under his breath, Itachi turned to glance at him and was offered a teasing salute. 

“We finish this in quick time and I’ll buy you the whole damn shop. Sound fair captain?” He drawled, his mask doing little to hide his amusement. Jizo. He was a smooth talking shinobi, who was a notorious flirt outside the mask.

Itachi’s lips twitched into a little smile, unable to help himself. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“He will.” Shisui agreed, shaking his head in mock pity. “Might as well back out now.”

The operative laughed. “I’m no quitter Uchiha. Also, you better be meeting for drinks once we’re back home.”

“Sounds good. But I get to choose the bar this time.” Shisui shot him a mock dirty look. Itachi could only imagine what happened at the last bar they went to.

“My quaint little dive bar is not good enough for your refined palette, Master Uchiha?” Jizo teased. He and Shisui had forged a friendship of sorts. Things had been getting better for the clan. The opportunity to reach out and forge something more with other people had given the clan much more freedom. Something Itachi couldn’t remember having before the Nine-Tails attack nearly a decade ago.

“No. Not at all.”

“Fair enough.” Jizo shrugged and Itachi turned, motioning for them to quiet down.

“We’re getting close.” He noted. Kakashi had sent the message that he made it unscathed and was awaiting their arrival. There was no one on the bridge. No explosives. So traps. Nothing had gone off. Somewhere on the other side of that bridge, Kakasho was lying in wait. Itachi lifted the radio up. “Go on ahead to the rendezvous area.” They reached the edge of the forest. 

_**“You sure?”** _ The Copy nin’s voice came after a moment, staticy, but still holding that bored quality. _“ **We’re going to lose signal.”**_

Itachi scanned the area. If they got Kakashi closer to the factory, maybe they could look into where the supplies were coming from. Their head to be a manufacturing contract or something working there. “It’s fine. Stay safe.”

**_“You too.”_ **

  
“Don’t want to risk anyone hearing us over radio frequencies?” Minoichi commented, idly fixing his gloves. Itachi nodded. The bridge was shrouded in mist. It seemed almost otherworldly. They walked towards it, checking the immediate area for hidden explosives or traps. It was empty. Likely abandoned years ago in favor of more modern structures.

“This looks eerie as shit.” Jizo muttered from the rear. Komachi scoffed in response, sheathing her sword as she overlooked the structure. 

“Not as eerie as your voice. Shut up.” She muttered, earning a snicker from Towa before they all quickly fell silent. They reached for their radios, shutting them down as a precaution. 

Itachi lifted a hand, signaling for them to get into formation. They began to move onto the bridge, the mist creating a nearly blinding path. Shisui took the lead, his Sharingan activated under his mask and glowing the mist. Minoichi and Ikaru flanked him. They were the heavy hitters in the group. Jizo and Komachi followed behind and Itachi brought up the rear, Sharingan swirling as he followed. Overhead, seagulls screeched into the darkened air, swooping down close to the waves before back up into the air. Itachi turned to glance back over his shoulder, watching as the treeline behind him was swallowed into the mist.

Kakashi was likely out of range. The rest would rendezvous with him once they made it over the bridge and past the construction area. They had spent hours pouring over maps and calculating where the shipments were coming in. Kiri-nin were a dangerous bunch and they were all aware that they needed to watch themselves when going into enemy territory. There was radio silence on Kakashi’s end, hopefully meaning he had successfully reached the north building and was out of range. Itachi wasn’t expecting anything from him unless they needed to change tactics.

The bridge was long, extending to one of Kirikagure’s islands. Looking over the edge, he noted he couldn’t see three feet to either side. It gave him an odd feeling of claustrophobia being involved there. The land had always been shrouded in mystery and this seemed to add to it in a way. Luckily, the warehouse was less than a day’s journey from the bridge. From here, their radios wouldn’t work until they were back on land, putting them into a silent period of about five minutes. They were going to have to move fast from this point.

None of them spoke. The laughing and camaraderie from earlier was now tucked away under porcelain masks. ANBU were excellent at their jobs. Excellent on putting on the mask and keeping it there. There were no names at this point. No pasts or presents. The wind picked up, causing Itachi’s hair to swirl. He caught it, tucking it back behind his ear. They had gone over the plan twice before heading out. Itachi could see Jizo and Komachi silently striding forward, if his eyes weren’t fixed on them, he would never have known they were there.

Ghosts. They were all ghosts here. Shisui was out of sight, having moved forward. His Sharingan was activated. He could sense no movement ahead, but it did little to quell his caution. He lifted a hand to still the group, standing in silence and listening for a long movement before ushering them forward. 

They kept moving.

The clouds churned and darkened, but still didn't rain. Itachi’s hand moved down to his radio at his side, triple checking that it was silenced. Waves from the ocean below rocked loudy against the capsill, yet hadn’t gained enough momentum to reach over the railing. Itachi could hear the roar below. Far too dangerous and choppy for anyone to remain in for long. Large abandoned crains sat to the east. As the waves smashed up against it, it creaked, the sound loud and echoing. It sounded like it would collapse at any moment. Shisui stalked ahead, his eye fixed into the mist before him. Nothing was stirring out of sight. Kirikagure had always left him uneasy; it was like he was walking on eggshells.

They kept moving, silent as they passed the halfway mark. It was quiet, Shisui noted. Eerily quiet for where they were. The seagulls had fallen silent. The wind had died down. It was all too silent. Itachi had noticed too; He hesitated, stepping back as his eyes activated searching for Shisui’s. Shisui lifted his mask off, staring out into the mist. Itachi followed suit, an uneasy feeling rising in his chest.

“Somethings wrong.” Shisui signalled to the others who went still, tense and silent. He didn’t dare move a muscle. He could feel Itachi’s eyes on his back.

Itachi’s eyes moved to the side of the bridge, silently cursing under his breath, he reached over his shoulder to grab his sword, letting his knapsack drop out of the way. “Fall b-.” A sudden horrible whistle shot through the air. Shisui turned and lunged forward to Itachi who moved towards him at the same time. What was likely a 3-5 second period of time felt both far too fast and a lifetime. There was no movement behind him. It was all too fast. Shisui managed to shove Itachi towards the edge of the bridge and leaped after him as Itachi lost his balance.

For a moment, Shisui thought he would follow Itachi into the water. There was a moment in time with the two of them practically suspended in the air as if time and gravity ceased to be. Itachi's eyes were fixed on him, hand extended and fingers reaching for him in earnest desperation.

He reached for Shisui's hand and their fingers just barely brushed, somehow that touch so incredibly intimate. He wanted to stay like that, to properly link his fingers with Itachi. More than anything; more than the village or the clan. Shisui could remember their first meeting. Itachi's smile and how he followed Shisui like his shadow. He could remember sparring with him, his genuine delight the first time Itachi had knocked him down. Itachi moving so gracefully as he fought, practically dancing around an enemy, so graceful and beautiful that Shisui thought he surely must be an angel. He could feel the warmth of the sun while he lay out in an open field by Itachi's side. Itachi turning to look at him, a smile curling his lips. Shisui had wondered how those lips tasted for so long and when he leaned forward to finally taste it had been better than anything he ever could have anticipated.

Itachi's eyes illuminated over the fire as they camped out during a mission. The orange glow bathing him in warm light as he slid out of his clothes in offering, trusting and nervous. A virgin sacrifice to Shisui's shrinal offering. They had fit together so perfectly. As if they were made for each other; Destined for each other. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Itachi at his side.

He wanted to wake up each morning with Itachi curled against him. He wanted to find his hair in the shower drain and gag as he cleaned it. He wanted to choke down whatever inedible food Itachi attempted to make him, just to see that stunning smile. He wanted to adopt a chicken even though they creeped him out because he knew Itachi thought they were sweet. He wanted it all and Itachi was so close. Just out of his reach. All he needed to do was reach him. 

Suddenly, dismayingly, Shisui realized that Itachi had fallen just short of the edge. He reached him, arms encircling him and maneuvered himself so that he was draped over Itachi. He pushed forward, Itachi tucked under him. He could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest, his hand moved to clasp Itachi’s hand, linking their fingers. Itachi squeezed back, his touch desperate. Shisui lifted his head, spotting the railing within a fingers reach. The whistle was suddenly a roar and Shisui knew no more.

* * *

  
  


It was a span of several seconds. One moment Itachi was falling, then he was cradled under Shisui, who was draped over him, gripping onto him with tightening fingers. There was a ringing in his ears for a long moment, echoing. Shisui was tense on top of him, as if expecting another attack. There was a beat of heavy silence, somehow worse than the silence earlier. Itachi lifted his head, arm wrapped around Shisui’s waist as he looked around at the squad. They were all standing very still, most looking bewildered. What had just happened? Were they attacked? It had happened so quickly. The echo of that whistle still ringing in his ears. Shisui's fingers moved down his face, almost frantically searching him for any injuries. 

Komachi turned her head, looking over to Minoichi. When she opened her mouth, a spit of crimson blood began to spew down her face. She lifted a startled hand, catching the blood and looking down at herself. Itachi couldn’t help the ragged breath he released. Minoichi moved towards her, movements shaky. Towa was standing just behind Komachi, blinking at her. Once. Twice; Then, like dominos they begin to fall. Their bodies slicing in half and crumpling to the worn deck. Towa attempted to reach out only for his arm to fall away as he crumpled. Jizo turned to where Itachi and Shisui knelt. For a moment, Itachi thought he was unharmed, before he watched the thin line of blood spread across from midsection and his intestines began to fall out, like some sort of morbid confetti, a faint gurgling noise escaping his mouth. Itachi couldn’t breathe.

He needed to do something. He had to help them. He turned to look at Shisui, still shell shocked. Shisui was staring back, but there was something off with his expression. He reached with a jerking hand to touch Itachi’s cheek, assuring himself he was unharmed.

“Shisui?” Itachi whispered, fingers fumbling over Shisui’s hand. “Shisui?” Shisui tried to smile at him. Or at least, that’s what Itachi thought he was doing when, his head slid off his shoulders, cut through so neatly that it didn’t look real. Itachi still had a tight grip onto Shisui’s body and even as he watched his head fall away, he clung, almost desperately.

Just beyond them was a long strip of wire, swaying slightly in the breeze, crimson _plip_ ,

_plip_ ,

_plip!_

onto the railing below.

* * *

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Someone was screaming.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

* * *

  
  


It had been a trap. A way to lure them into the open and take them out at once. They hadn’t anticipated on the small one being there. The Kiri-nin were quick to swarm the location, Itachi still too shocked to make a retreat. Before he knew it, five Kiri operatives were on him. “Looks like we got a live one this time.” A large brutish man with sharpened teeth, stated. His beady eyes surveyed the area, lingering on Shisui’s headless corpse that Itachi still hadn’t released. Behind them they could hear the choked death quells of the other Hidden leaf unit.

The largest shinobi chuckled. He must have been the leader. They began circling Itachi like sharks. Like he was their next target. “This one’s just a _baby_.” The sole woman teased, her eerie black eyes fixed on Itachi, her smile far too large for the size of her face. 

  
  


**_Shinobi Rule# 25- A shinobi must never show their tears during a mission._ **

  
  


“A dangerous baby. Just look at those eyes.” The leader, his long orange hair tied up overhead. Itachi knew he needed to do something. He needed to get out of there, but Shisui’s corpse was still against him and Itachi felt as if he was underwater. He could still remember the noise of the wire, metallic and whirling. His head was spinning. He didn’t dare look at his fallen team members. He knew his training. He knew what he was _supposed_ to do, but he did nothing.

“Pretty too.” A tall scrawny one with a nose that was crooked due to being broken more than once, reached out to touch his hair. Itachi flinched back, fingering tightening on Shisui’s shoulders. “Very pretty.” His eyes moved over Itachi’s face, licking his lips in an obnoxious display.

Something happened then. He felt something warm and wet sliding down his cheek and the shinobi on top of him fell back with an agonized cry, fingers digging into his scalp. He tripped over a body. Jizo. He was thrashing around, yelling and his team was looking at him, startled before looking to where Itachi knelt. “Dangerous indeed.” The woman from before whispered. 

They were on him in an instant.

“Shit!” What the **_fuck_** did he do!?” Someone yelled as they pinned him; One used their palm to cover his eyes, pressing him down against the deck. Shisui’s body had been lost in the fray.

The shinobi before seemed to have recovered for the most part. Itachi could hear his painful pants. “He-he….those fucking _eyes_! It was like I was on fire or something!”

“One of them is still moving.” Someone pointed out. The group glanced over and one of them waved his hand.

“He’s dying. Don’t bother with him.” Itachi couldn’t see which one they were talking about, but he could hear the garbled noises they were making. One of the shinobi knelt down close to him and his head was shoved to the side. He felt something sharp prick against his neck and he knew without seeing that they had injected him with something. 

“Won’t last long, so ask fast.” The man muttered as he stood, backing away.

“Was that all of your squad!?” The woman demanded from somewhere to Itachi’s right. “Are there more?”

_As if they expected him to betray them?_

  
  


**_Shinobi Rule #5-A Shinobi must always put his village before himself._ **

  
  


Itachi laughed then. The sound brittle and forced and he was kicked in his side for it, something snapping from the impact. Kakashi was likely dead. They must have ambushed him on their way onto the bridge. He had failed. The seagulls overhead were now there again, passing overhead and squawking as they observed the carnage below. It was odd, Itachi noted. They still avoided the bridge; Not daring to take a piece. They knew the bridge was dangerous. They knew to stay away. If only Itachi had such wisdom. He realized in dull dread, that he couldn’t feel his fingers or toes. They had given him a paralyzing agent.

  
  


There was pressure on his legs. “Listen kid,” One of the men muttered, tone conversational. “While I respect your loyalty. It’s no use now. Just tell us what we need to know and this can be a lot less painful.” Itachi snapped his teeth at the hand over his face and the man chuckled. “Spunk.” Someone muttered something and they grabbed his leg. Someone had taken a Hitai-ate and covered his eyes with it. There was a moment where Itachi felt nothing. Not the grip on his leg or the pain in his eyes. It fell silent for a moment. Then Itachi heard a loud snap. It took a moment for the pain to catch up. His breath caught in his throat, back arching as he frantically bit his lip, refusing to scream. The shinobi who had broken his leg let it drop, their hands moving to the next leg. Itachi twitched in pain, it traveled up his leg and into his head, sharp and agonizing. 

“Wanna try again?” The woman cooed, stroking her fingers down Itachi’s cheek. Itachi jerked away and snapped his teeth at her fingers. He heard her laugh in delight. The hand gripping his leg tightened. They moved their forearm to Itachi’s knee and with their other hand they jerked Itachi’s knee forward, snapping it forward. This time Itachi was unable to stop the scream that escaped him.

“Maybe his arms next?” The man holding his leg suggested. He felt the woman’s fingers dig into his arm. It was an odd feeling with how she touched him. Almost lewd with how she stroked her fingers over his bare flesh. A lover’s caress with a torturer’s confidence. 

Itachi heard someone click their tongue. “He’s not going to talk. Just kill him and end it. No need to drag this out. We still need to search for others.” One of the shinobi stated, his tone almost jovial but his beady eyes were uneasy, sharp teeth set on edge as if anxious to get going and track down any remaining enemies. 

“What say you Suikazan-san?” One of the men asked. He sounded like he was standing a bit further away, observing the situation.

“Hmm, we can’t keep wasting time here. We can deal with the bodies later, but if any others managed to sneak in, we need to weed them out. You have this under control?” It sounded like Suikazan turned to speak to someone who laughed in response.

“This is my specialty.” 

“Fair enough. Hoshigaki, you and I will leave the brat to the team. We’ll scout out and see if anyone managed to sneak ahead. Miru hasn’t reported anything yet. When you’re done with him, meet us at the rendezvous point.” Itachi heard the other shinobi mutter something in understanding before two sets of footsteps began to head out.

Someone took his leg and dragged him forward. Itachi nearly gagged in pain, for a moment losing consciousness, only to wake up moments later with his head hanging over the edge of the bridge, the Hitai-ate was gone. His head swam. He stared up at the sky. It was lighter now. The sun trying to peek from the clouds. “...Break his neck?” He heard the man he had attacked mutter from overhead. “Throw his body into the current?”

“Nah, just throw him in now. His legs are useless.” One of the men said solemnly. 

“Seems a waste.” The woman stated in a hushed voice. “Pretty little thing.” Itachi was going to die here. He was going to die and leave his mother and father behind. Sasuke was in his last couple years at the academy. Itachi had wanted to see him graduate. Had wanted to watch him go far. Now he would be alone. Forced into his brother’s shoes. Itachi hoped father would be kind about it. That he didn’t make the same mistakes that he made with Itachi.

“We have a moment if you wanna…” The one Itachi had attacked trailed off and the woman stepped forward in obvious interest. Itachi’s breath caught in his throat as she knelt down over him, reaching out to gently touch him on the chest, feeling his frantic heartbeat under her fingertips. 

There was a long moment of silence.

“Cover his eyes.”

  
  


**Shinobi Rule # ???- What was the shinobi rule for rape?**

  
  


Itachi could curse his slow reaction. How stupid he was to be caught like this. But at that moment, he found he was too dazed to even really care. Once again, he was blinded and held down. “Be quick about it.” The other man muttered. “We can’t be wasting time.” It was obvious this was against their usual protocol. But the one Itachi had attacked seemed to want a bit of revenge.

“He’s a little boy. It will be quick enough.” The woman responded in amusement, earning a chuckle from the other two. Itachi attempted to yank away, but the woman grasped his broken leg and squeezed. Itachi couldn’t scream, his mouth opening and closing in pain. “Now, now sweets. Stop fighting so much. I can make this feel good.” He could hear the garbled noise from his teammate, as if they were still attempting to do something. One of the men glanced over his shoulder, arms folded and looking amused.

“You guys really do cling on like cockroaches.” He observed, before turning back to look at Itachi. It seemed so inhumanely cruel to not just kill whoever it was. Put them out of their misery. His grey flack jacket was torn open and his shirt was pulled over to just below his chin.He felt her hands on his bare chest, touching him with open amusement. One of the men strode around to keep Itachi pinned down, even if it was moot point by then. He held Itachi’s shoulders in place, scowling down at him as his partner pet his side. Her fingers brushed down low on his waist, the tips going just below his waist band. 

“Still soft like a baby.” She took a nipple and tweaked it and the group laughed as Itachi twitched. She lowered her head, and Itachi cringed as he felt her tongue lap over his nipple. “Wish we could keep this one.” She hummed, in mock disappointment. “You both know how I like my boys soft.” One of the men grunted in response. He was kept pinned in place as the woman continued to suck and bite at his chest, grinding her teeth down on the left one until he made a pained noise. His pants were suddenly being fiddled with and Itachi attempted to struggle against it as they were yanked down to his thighs, along with his underwear. 

“You think he’d at least have some fuzz.” He heard someone mutter, sounding amused by what he saw. “Looks like he’s a bit of a late bloomer, eh?”

“Now, now. Don’t be rude. Even his dick is pretty.” She cooed and earned a bark of laughter from one of her teammates. “Little thing hasn’t even had his balls drop yet.” her hand was suddenly squeezing hard, twisting them in her grip. Itachi tasted copper as his teeth sank down into his lip, attempting to not give them the satisfaction of screaming again. Her nails were sharpened to points. As if she had decided to weaponize everything about her, she dug them into him and he was sure he was bleeding. She released him with a laugh and Itachi fought to keep his breathing under control.

There was little way out of this in his shape. The mission was a failure. Whatever weapons were in that factory were now out of reach. Itachi cried out when her mouth was suddenly _there_ , taking him in with ease. It felt _good_. This woman who had a hand in murdering his team was now-

“ _Stop_.” He finally spoke, his voice little more than a ragged croak and the gathered shinobi laughed at it.

“So he’s **_not_** mute.” One of the men jeered. The woman merely hummed, running her tongue up his shaft, tongue wrapping around the tip. Before this, the only person to have touched him in such a way was Shisui. The only person he had ever wanted to touch him was Shisui. Now this _woman_ was acting like she had any right to touch him. He was hard now and she seemed to enjoy it. She kissed his thighs, nipping at the soft flesh. Itachi’s fingers twitched. The agony from his legs was overwhelming, nearly making it impossible to feel much else.

“Pretty little boy with his pretty pretty little cock.” She moved again and he couldn’t even flinch away when he felt something rubbing against his length, the wet noise it made turning his stomach. He heard her release a soft moan. Itachi clenched his eyes shut under the forehead protector. She moved so she was straddling his hips, grinding down against him. It was even worse knowing that they were being watched. Knowing that _they_ were watching, even dead, they were present. What if they could _see_? “Was that body you were holding important to you?” She mused, as she rocked against him. She glanced back to search for where the body lay but unable to find which one it was among the carnage. “That your boyfriend or something?”

  
  


**_Shinobi Rule # 22 - A Shinobi must never show attachment._ **

  
  
  


Before they had covered his eyes, Itachi could remember seeing his sword. It wasn’t far. If he could just get his limp arms to move. The woman lost interest in overlooking the bodies and looked back down at the boy. She tutted and shifted and Itachi couldn’t stop the noise that escaped him when she finally took him in. He was mortified by how warm she was. How she was pulsing around him, tight and unyielding. She moaned again and grabbed Itachi’s hand, lifting it between her legs. He could feel how wet she was under his finger tips. He couldn’t move them. Couldn’t pull away. She released his hand and surged forward to grasp at his hair, keeping him pinned as she picked up speed.

For a moment, he let his mind wander. Any attempt to disconnect from what was going on above him. He wondered what mother was making for dinner that night. Itachi was useless in the kitchen, but he always appreciated how easy she made it look. Sasuke was finally exiting his picky eater phase and was becoming more adventurous. He still didn’t like anything too sweet though. Father was likely just returning home by now. Had it been a good day? He had been happier the last couple of months. Sasuke was home from the academy. He needed to work on his schoolwork. Itachi had promised to look it over when he got home.

He didn’t even realize when she pulled off of him, too dazed. “I can make this feel good.” The woman’s voice was sickeningly sweet as she cut through Itachi’s clothes. “Doesn’t have to hurt.” His shirt and pants tossed aside. His underwear was torn from him. It was humiliation for them. They wanted him humiliated and naked. Her hand moved down between Itachi’s legs, past his balls and Itachi tensed as her sharpened nails grazed over the rim of his hole. With no other warning, she jammed her fingers inside, raking her nails down and earning a pained keen from Itachi. One of the men laughed, but another scoffed.

“Can you hurry it up?” He muttered. “We’re taking too long.” The woman pulled her hand back with a sigh. He could still hear the weak noises from his teammate. Still alive...

There was a sigh. “Fine, just let me finish up.” She stood and Itachi twitched in pain as she kicked his leg while walking. “You bite down and I’ll let one of my boys shove the hilt of their sword up your ass.” Itachi didn’t understand what she meant. He was numb; Someone grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him further onto the deck. He heard the woman move. There was a rustle of clothing. 

The seagulls had fallen silent again.

  
  


“Don’t try it, Hebiichigo. He’s a cornered animal. He’ll bite down on your cunt without hesitation.” Itachi could nearly feel his relief emanating from him as the woman tsked in understanding, striding away from his face. Itachi’s toes twitched.

" _Fine_. Looks like we’re out of time anyway.” **Hebiichigo** muttered, tone sounding petulant. Like a little girl denied her favorite toy. She was eyeing Itachi appraisingly, black eyes narrowed. “He’s starting to move.” It was a split second but enough for Itachi to spring forward. The Hitai-ate was torn from his eyes. they were spinning madly. Bright crimson and glowing. He lunged for his sword as one of the Kiri nin swore, darting towards Itachi. Itachi was usually faster, practically untouchable, but still recovering from the paralysis, he wasn’t fast enough. His legs were useless and he fumbled, fingers straining for his weapon. One of them shouted in response, his fingers brushed over the hilt before he was tossed back.

A moment later he was in the water. As he fell, he swore he could hear feet approaching. Was Shisui coming now? The water was cold. Jarringly so. Itachi had felt as if his lungs were being squeezed and he couldn’t help the gasp that escaped him. He choked, blindly swimming upwards. He could see the stone ledge of the bridge and he attempted to move towards it. He was confused. How had he ended up there? His leg was burning and he was having trouble staying above the water. He could see people standing on the deck, overhead. Was that his team? They were okay? They were all still standing there, just watching. What sort of jutsu had been put on them? The current of the waves smashed him forward against the stone pier. He gasped in pain, eyes burning. His legs were so mangled that he could barely move them. He began to sink, arms unable to keep himself afloat. Where was Shisui? He smashed against the pier again, head smacking off it as he uselessly groped at the sides. He was pulled under.

His lungs burned. His vision darkened. He didn’t know what side was up and what was down. His fingers had long since gone numb. He hoped Sasuke would not mourn long. That father would be gentle with him. Allow how to grieve and move on. Mother would be there for him. Mother would help. He breathed in involuntarily and from there, he knew it was over. He choked, flailing and unable to breathe, the water pouring into his mouth and nose. He was dying. It was over. He wasn’t even cold anymore. He closed his eyes, limbs going still and floating at his side. Shisui would be there. Shisui always made things better. Itachi hoped he wasn’t angry. He never wanted to see him angry at him again. Once was enough for a lifetime and they had a lifetime to make it all better again. They still had time. It wasn’t too...

  
  
  
  


_Down..._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_Down..._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_Down..._

  
  
  
  


A hand suddenly had a hold of the scruff on his neck and pulling him back up to the surface, moving to wrap around his torso and hold him securely. 

_Shisui…_

Itachi didn’t fight, allowing Shisui to drag him from the water and toss him onto the deck. Itachi lay on his back for a moment coughing up water, head spinning. He felt Shisui place something over his quivering naked shoulders; A cloak. Itachi’s fingers dug into the warm material, blinking away the salt water. He felt gentle fingers on his face, he opened his eyes but his vision was blurry. The kind hand rubbed at his shoulders as Itachi coughed up the remaining water. It dribbled from his mouth and nose, far too warm to be comfortable. He turned his head, still dazed as his eyes focused. 

The Kiri nin responsible for the attack lay dead. Their bodies slumped to the ground, face down. They weren't moving. Fitting in a way. It was cold of him to think, but he was glad they were dead. He hoped they suffered. Even if for a moment.

  
  


Towa and Komachi were both dead, bodies cut through so cleanly. They must not have even had a moment to react. Towa’s expression was still tense as it had been when they first realized they were in danger. His midsection cut as if with a hot knife on butter. Komachi’s hair was saturated with blood, turning from a sandy blonde to molten red. She had always been so particular about order and appearance, she would have hated to be in such a position.

Minoichi was still twitching, fingers moving sporadically even with his entire torso sliced open like a slab of beef. Jizo was slumped over onto his side. As if he had attempted to drag himself away from the carnage after being sliced in half before finally dying. His hand was still reaching outwards towards the way they had come, his expression frozen in terror with his dark grey eyes still wide open, practically bulging. Both legs were missing. One was cleanly below him and one was several feet away. 

  
  


Ikaru was still _moving._ Ikaru, who had shown Itachi his rock collection that he had since he was twelve and had explained the different types with so much excitement in his green eyes that Itachi couldn’t help but share in his enthusiasm. Ikaru was bisected from the middle, still somehow feebly attempting to stop the blood flow, his unseeing eyes seemed to meet Itachi’s for a moment, seeming to lock in on him before Shisui moved towards him. He ended his suffering quickly and the relieved noise that Ikaru released was that of someone finally at peace.

How long had they managed to stand there? The attack was so quick, it must have taken a moment for the pain to catch up with the injury. All of them, snuffed out with such ease. Only 30 minutes ago, joking and breathing and **_alive_**. Shisui turned to face him and Itachi’s vision cleared.

No. Not Shisui. 

Kakashi.

Shisui wasn’t there. Shisui wasn’t with them. Itachi turned his head frantically, still coughing eyes searching the deck madly before he finally caught sight of Shisui’s face. His beautiful kind face. He was laying just out of reach, his eyepatch was undisturbed and his remaining eye half open, lips still curved up into that attempted smile. His wild curls were still drifting in the wind. His body was just behind it. There was no movement from him. 

  
  


There would never be again.

_‘I love you, Shisui.”_

He could hear Kakashi speaking to him, attempting to gain his attention. Itachi felt far away. As if he wasn’t in his own body. He felt like he was watching from above. He could see Kakashi’s shoulders, how he was kneeling over him. He could see his team, like marionettes with their strings cut. Their dying laughter was now just a memory. Kakashi was speaking again, holding him upright. He looked frantic. It was odd to see on a man usually so composed and cool. It wasn’t right. Itachi wanted to tell him that. 

_‘I love you.’_

Overhead the sky had cleared.The clouds had dissipated and the sun shone brilliantly, the light reflecting off Kakashi’s tossed aside mask as he knelt down at his side. He was adjusting the cloak over Itachi, attempting to warm him. Itachi’s teeth clattered as he stared at the sky. Itachi almost laughed. It seemed Shisui had won their bet. Shisui was so still. No sign of the storm remained. The sun was casting brilliant golden light onto Shisui's face. Itachi couldn't look away; Shisui stared back, a thin stream of blood dribbling from his mouth, his single eye fixed on Itachi, staring through him. Somewhere Itachi had failed to follow. 

_‘You won the bet.’_ Itachi wanted to tell Shisui. _‘What was it you wanted? I don’t think I can figure it out, Shisui. Please give me a hint? Please?”_ The sun was bright. It was so beautiful. Itachi could see _everything_. _‘Shisui, please tell me.’_

_‘I love you.’_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> The death scene is based on the opening scene from the 2002 movie Ghost Ship. The movie itself was sort of meh, but that opening kill scene just stuck with me. My goal is to have this as a three shot story with exactly 10,000 words for each chapter. The next chapter will arrive 2 July and the third and final will update 31 Dec. I see it as a way to open and close 2021.
> 
> Most of the named characters exist in canon. There are a couple original characters. Hebiichigo is a character in the Boruto series. I found her bloodlust and personality to fit in with the character I was trying to portray. In regards to that, this Hebiichigo will be the mother of the Boruto character of the same name. So this Hebiichigo is technically an OC so that I'm not taking a character out of their timeline. I picture her looking a lot like the original Hebiichigo but taller and with longer hair. Same eyes and same sadistic tendencies.


End file.
